Don't let lawmakers put our wildlife at risk

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Dear Editor,

Bald eagles, gray wolves and American alligators are some of the animals who were brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to the Endangered Species Act. Now, these species, as well as over 1,600 other protected creatures are in danger.

These are some of the Federal bills that are attacks on our wild animals:

The Federal Land Freedom Act, currently in the Senate, gives states control over fossil fuel interests on federal lands, exempting federal reviews.

The 21st Century Endangered Species Transparency Act, in the Senate, requires all scientific data the government uses to list a species as endangered or threatened to be made public, allowing of poorly conducted research.

The Listing Reform Act, in the House, requires the government to weigh the "economic costs" of listing an imperiled animal based only on the order in which the proposed protections are received, meaning that companies would be free to conduct business as usual in the meantime.

President Trump has signed bills rolling back environmental regulations, including lifting inhumane hunting tactics on federal wildlife refuges in Alaska, making it legal to shoot hibernating animals in their dens. In Nebraska, we are blessed with 100s of thousands of birds that use our Platte River and Prairie Potholes for their migration, including Bald Eagles and Whooping Cranes, both endangered. Prairie Chickens have made a comeback and these spectacular birds are an economic and environmental boon for our state. Please, do not support legislation that puts our wild creatures at risk.